Jon Sidenbender
Class of 1953
Jon
was the first commissioner of the Midwest Athletic Conference which was
formed in the Fall of 1973. He remained the MAC commissioner for
twenty-four years (1973-1997). In its first year as a league the MAC
offered only boys sports in Football, Cross Country, Basketball, Track,
and Baseball. Jon was the driving force behind the MAC adding girls’
sports in Volleyball, Basketball, and Track in the Fall of 1974. Jon
provided the newly formed league with leadership and foresight in its
formative years. Prior to serving as the MAC commissioner, Jon was the
secretary of the Mercer County League from 1967-1973. Jon was an
assistant football coach at Parkway High School from 1962-1967. He was
Head Boys’ Basketball coach at Parkway High School from 1964-1967. Jon
is a graduate of the Rockford High School Class of 1953 where he
lettered in Football and Baseball.